The Art Of Standing Out In A Crowded Job Market
In 2015/16, there was a whopping 2.28 million students in higher education in the UK, which, for comparison purposes, is equivalent to the whole population of Slovenia (and Birmingham, but not combined!).
You can imagine the vast number of graduates entering the job market and unfortunately, due to the mass of degree-educated brainboxes out there, merely having a 2:1 is not an outstanding feat anymore and will not be enough alone to attract the attention of the top employers. Of course, wear your degree with pride, but you may need to do one or two more things to boost your position in the mind of a hiring manager.
Thinking outside of the box, being creative in your search and being proactive will all help you in your pursuit, and are all qualities recruiters and hiring managers look for in candidates. Simply applying for a few opportunities then sitting back and waiting for the calls to roll in is not the approach to take, and you’re likely to realise that pretty quickly.
Do thorough research
It’s common for graduates to not have a concrete idea about what they want to do, maybe because they have decided they don’t want to pursue a career in their degree field (i.e. teaching) or perhaps they did a broad topic like business which covers a lot of areas. An astonishing number of people apply to jobs without actually reading the role details, and consequently have no idea what they’re volunteering themselves for! So often people think “I don’t care what it is, I just want a job” and put very little thought into the long term, but this is your future and you should explore all of the options available to you!
Now, a 15 minute google search and filling out a Buzzfeed quiz does not constitute as research. The internet is an amazing creation, allowing you to find out anything you’d ever want to know about any given industry. You may have the preconceived idea that HR and Recruitment are ‘basically the same thing’ and therefore apply to both, but in reality, they are very different (Recruitment is a sales-based role, HR is not). Once you have shortlisted an industry (or two) that you are genuinely interested in, you can deepen your search into particular roles and companies. Glassdoor is extremely useful for company specific research, giving you real reviews by current and past employees, and will tell you things you won’t find out on a company’s website (like whether the hours are longer than advertised).
Get your name out there
Never underestimate the power of LinkedIn, it can be a great tool in spreading your name across the professional stratosphere and can open your view to opportunities you didn’t even know existed. Recruiters spend a great deal of time looking for diamonds in the rough and hidden talent on there, as well as using it as a place to advertise their roles; you never know what you could be missing out on if you’re not on there. It’s key to make sure your profile is fully plumped out with your main achievements and goals, and anything that distinguishes you from the average student – read our full post on the benefits of LinkedIn. Don’t just be passive on the site, and write a status or two saying what you’re looking for – you’ll grab the attention of any potential recruiters out there, and will be another means of getting your name out there.
It may also be beneficial to take a few minutes to clean up your social media pages and get friendly with your privacy settings – you don’t want the hiring manager to stumble upon something that you’d rather them not see before they hire you!
Approach relevant professionals
Once you have conducted enough research to decide on a field to pursue, with potentially even a number of companies you are interested in the look of, approach hiring managers within those companies, or recruiters for that market. Picking up the phone, sending a LinkedIn message or writing a couple of emails will take you no time at all and will get you traction far quicker than merely applying to vacancies online. Not only is it quick and direct, but you will show tenacity and proactivity, both qualities that companies look for in graduate talent. Your name will immediately stand out and not get lost in a sea of applications.
The easiest way to do this is to utilise the search function on LinkedIn, and the “meet the team” page of company websites. Find the “Talent Acquisition Manager”, or another member of management, and send them over a short direct message outlining what you’re looking for and enquiring if they can help. The worst outcome is that they apologise that they can’t help, and you simply move onto the next!
Is your CV representing you appropriately?
It’s essential that you present yourself on paper how you would like to come across in person. If you have a poorly put together CV, with spelling errors and a shoddy layout, then it is quite likely that a hiring manager will think negatively about your application. Make sure to include a well written, concise and to-the-point personal statement, outlining exactly what you’re looking for and what your key skills are, followed by your education and work history. It’s important to include all of the important highlights and achievements from your past, whilst keeping it neat, tidy and easy to read. If you haven’t yet read or received any guidance on how to write the best CV you can, then it would be worth your while to see our tips on it here – we have outlined the most essential things to include, how to make the most of the space, and how to make yourself shine.
Make sure you’re not missing out on opportunities
If you’re in the midst of a job search, make sure you are answering your phone and returning missed calls. It is very common for people to ignore calls from numbers they don’t recognise, but if you ignore it when it rings and it turns out it was an opportunity calling, you could find that they don’t call again because another person has answered in your place. The same goes for checking your emails and LinkedIn messages – take the time to set up your emails on your phone if you haven’t already, and turn on the push notifications so you don’t miss any important emails. It is common for roles to have a quick turnaround, so the delay by not checking your emails or not answering your phone may be enough to knock you out of the running.
Embrace creativity
Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box in your approach to your job search. Spend a few hours scrolling through LinkedIn and I’m sure you’ll stumble upon one of those “now THIS is a creative way to grab a recruiter’s attention!” with attached a photo of someone sending food and drink (which does feel smidge like bribery). Don’t think that thinking creatively has to involve spending money or sending your CV with a box of goodies, as it can be as simple as putting together a short video which you link to your CV. Utilise your strengths, if they lie in the creative world, then do something creative, and if they lie in the tech world, you could put something together within that space. Make sure to make it relevant to the jobs you are applying to, as you don’t want to waste energy and time creating something that will go unappreciated.
If you’re a recent graduate, or soon to be one, and are interested in a role in recruitment, get in touch with one of us here at 5Q Consultancy – we connect graduates, sales-people and recruiting professionals with top tier enterprises in London and across England. You can catch any of our expert consultants on 0203 700 8483, or send over an email to caitlin@5-q.co.uk!
